Author's Note: Alright here's a slightly revised chapter four. My main revisions are eventually going to be with Toph, because as the story went on I seemed to have mentally forgotten her myself and acted as if she wasn't there, which was a problem I wanted to fix greatly.
Disclaimer: I own nothing!

As the World Falls Down
Chapter Four

Katara's hands were shaking awkwardly as she walked beside Jet who had seemed to have calmed down from the night before. This was the first step towards their plan. No one would know until they arrived back to the Southern Tribe-where she would announce it in front of everyone, with Zuko standing at her side. Somehow, this idea kept getting worse in her head.

"So, has everyone had time to get their heads together?"

Avatar Aang, who used to make her feel so strong and hopeful at the possibility for the end of the war-well, that comment made her want to throw a boot at him.

How could she possibly have her head together, even now? All she wanted to do was scream and ask Gran Gran, Yue...her mother...she wanted to ask all of them about what she was supposed to do. If what she was doing was right. And she couldn't talk to either of them. Gran Gran was still in the Southern Tribe, Yue would run to Sokka, and her mother was no longer among the living.

"I have," Katara closed her eyes. The moment she heard Zuko's voice, waiting for the setup, she knew her life was over. "Throughout the night, I have spent a good amount of thinking-of coming up with a way to end the war. A way to end it on our own. I have faith that our people are eager for this to end and would be willing to cast their weapons aside. Tomorrow we will leave-and the Fire Nation will confirm before the Water Tribes that we agree to stop warring. In turn, we ask for permission to bring back with us Princess Yue and Princess Katara to do the same for the Fire Nation."

All members of the Water Tribe stood up at once, protesting against the idea.

"Why couldn't our sons or even esteemed elders take the places? Why must it be our daughters?" Hakoda's voice managed to reach Zuko's ears above the rest.

"I'm sorry if the idea offends you, Chief Hakoda. The Fire Nation appreciates equality between genders-but still are aware that the men make the decisions among the Water Tribe. Sending your daughters shows that a barrier is being crossed and you are already making a step forward to change. Don't assume I would place them in danger so lightly. I intend for them to have their full guard with them at all times."

Everyone was quiet. While no one wanted to agree with the suggestion, it was obvious he had put thought into it—enough to ensure Katara's travels with him. Yet it had enough conviction to make the Water Tribe not suspect any ill nature towards the girls. It was such a small detail, and yet it made sense. If you send the heirs of each throne to the Fire Nation with their guard, it was more of a small army than a peace crew.

But in the hands of the young princesses...it came across as something entirely different.

"Then it is settled. We will stop warring immediately," Chief Arnook confirmed.

Zuko nodded, obviously pleased it was going smoothly. "I will send a fleet to order all men of the blockade to leave for the Fire Nation. My mother will leave with them to make sure the task is completed. My sister Azula will once again act as Fire Nation representative for the Northern Tribe while I will speak with the Southern Tribe.."

There was nodding, some sighs of relief, while members of each Royal Guard glanced around at their enemy bitterly.

And yet Katara couldn't meet anyone's eye, instead choosing to stare at her feet as if they were doing something amazing. Because she knew that her fate was set. The representative for the Southern Tribe was her, and she would never be returning to the Water Tribe on permanent terms again.

"What was your father doing, agreeing to allow you to go to the Fire Nation? It's insane! If I wasn't going along with you I'd have to really question it. But your one guard can't hold up against the Fire Nation."

While the Water Tribe men hadn't been happy about the idea, they had agreed to leave it at that, not pressing the subject when the peace had barely begun. Convincing the head of her guard, however, was proving to be rather difficult.

"Jet, it will be fine. We'll be there, and come back. You're forgetting that Yue is also coming."

"Which is also insane! Sokka at least should be allowed to attend. We all know he'd behead anyone who looked at her funny."

It was more than obvious that Jet was far from happy about her going to the Fire Nation, even with him by her side. She knew well enough that had he been asked to stay in the Southern Tribe, he wouldn't have let her go at all, even to the extent of disobeying her father. Him coming along, however, could prove to be just as big of a mistake. His fury with the Fire Nation could make him slip up, attack on impulse.

Just the thought of him knowing that she had planned this as well, she knew he would be angry and hurt by her betrayal. The idea of losing him hurt, and she did her best to keep his mood up. These could be the end of their friendship—if these were the last days she had with him by her side, she'd want to remember them fondly.

"How long are you going to go on about this?" Katara asked, bumping his shoulder with hers. "Come on. You'll be with me the whole time and we all know how furious your temper is. You'd have Prince Zuko shaking in those ridiculous metal boots of his," she grinned, forcing the smile to stay in place.

"You mean like how he did in your room?" he asked sarcastically, and Katara had a flash back to how calm the prince had been, standing there, Jet's sword pressed against his neck. It was almost eerie, how unafraid he had truly been. Could he be that strong of a bender that he didn't fear any attack, or was he just that foolish?

"I'm pretty sure he wet himself the moment he got back to his ship."

Whether it was the image of Zuko fleeing back to hide on his ship or having his men help him out of his armor so he could clean up, it worked. A smile, as small as it was, broke across Jet's face.

"Finally, the Jet I know and love," she beamed before leaping at him to give him a hug. She clung onto him as if this was the last time they'd ever see each other, not even noticing his shock or how hesitant he was to return the hug. "Don't worry, I'll be fine. We both will, and we'll have great stories about how savage the Fire Nation really are when we come back to the South Pole," she lied, noticing her voice was shaking just a bit, tears forming in the corner of her eyes. She wasn't ready to say goodbye yet.

"Katara..." Jet began slowly, for once unsure of his words when a knock sounded on the door, causing the two to fly apart.

"Hey, Sugar Queen! Are you going to open this door or what?"

Jet verbally cursed once again, and Katara herself groaned. The moment she stepped onto the ship and was twenty feet away from shore, Toph had lost her sweet act around everyone except her father and the elders. She was saucier than the hardest sailor at sea. And it made Katara, as well as several others, want to jump overboard.

Not waiting for an answer-because neither had planned on giving any other than hiding under the bed-she stormed into the room, followed shortly after by an appalled and very frustrated Sokka. When Toph wasn't with Katara, it was Sokka stuck 'babysitting' her, as he called it.

"You can't just waltz right into any of our-" he began, only to be cut off by a finger pointing accusingly towards him.

"Watch me, Sokka the Great," she added the last part sarcastically, and Katara had a feeling she walked on him having one of his ego-moments in front of his mirror. She could almost see him puffing his chest out with pride as he went on a less-than-modest speech in his honor.

The Water Tribe Prince only response was turning a slight shade of pink, mouth opening and closing like a fish until he realized he had no witty retort.

"What did you want, Toph?" Jet took the liberty to ask, although Katara noticed he was more irritated than usual.

The small girl grinned, obviously glad to know she was making someone's day. "Nothing much. Just wanting to know when we're getting out of this thing and getting onto nice dry land." Her arms spread out, as if she could feel the earth beneath her.

The three older teens glanced between each other before Katara spoke nervously. "Um, Toph, you do realize we're going to the South Pole first, right?"

"No duh, what do you think I'm deaf and can't understand a thing that's going on?"

"Well then we're going to have to change the meaning of nice dry land if you're using it to describe the South Pole. It's the arctic-you know, nothing but ice and snow covering the ground."

It had taken a large effort on each Katara, Jet, and Sokka's parts to force a pair of boots on Toph's feet.

"Get away from me you barbarian!"

"You refuse to wear shoes and you're calling us the barbarians?" Sokka muttered, dragging the now truly blind girl after him as she did her best to free herself. Convincing her to wear the parka had been hard enough, but the moment they touched her feet, she went wild. Sokka had a black eye to prove it while Jet was walking with a limp. Both had agreed to tell everyone about how they had sparring matches with some Earthbenders, and that they should see the other guy.

"Toph, if you don't wear anything on your feet, they're going to freeze off. You'll just have to hold out until you arrive in the Fire Nation."

"Hold out? How would you like it if I put a sack over your head and told you to deal with it? I'm sure Pretty Miss Princess wouldn't be so happy then."

This time it was Jet and Sokka who had to restrain Katara from taking a step towards the Earthbender.

"She's so rude!" Katara still went on hours later, throwing as many clothes as she could together. She needed something to keep her mind off of going to find Toph that she had decided to start packing for the trip to the Fire Nation days in advance. "And I'm stuck with her again the whole entire way to the Fire Nation. If I'm going to be tortured once I get there, I'd still find it a relief. You would have thought she'd been raised by otter-wolves, not nobles!"

"She's only 16. Girls that age do that sort of stuff."

"I didn't, not even when I was younger than her! I never made fun of anyone like that. Well, except for Sokka but there are reasons for that."

"Katara, I think you've packed enough; you're only staying for a little while. You've packed enough for you and Yue to wear for an eternity in the Fire Nation."

Whether he was sick of talking about Toph and wanted to change the subject or really curious, Katara wasn't sure, but she wished he would have asked anything else. Laughing nervously, she turned away from the bags. "I got a little carried away, I guess. Come on, let's go see Gran Gran, I didn't get to say anything to her when we docked."

"That's because someone was too busy complaining about Toph should have been abandoned in the streets of Ba Sing Se when she was little.

"I did not say that!"

"Yes you did, right after you mentioned how you couldn't wait to see the charming Prince Zuko again and wanted a boomerang just like Sokka's for your birthday."

"Ha ha ha," Katara rolled her eyes sarcastically. "You know if you keep it up, you'll regret it."

"Oh please, what are you going to do, pull my hair?" Jet teased, walking past her. "I'm trembling. Now come on, Gran Gran is probably making that stew I love so much. If you don't hurry up, I'm going to eat it a-"

He was cut off by a snowball hitting him in the back of the head.

Within a space of ten seconds, the two had begun an all-out snow war. A handful was shoved in the neck of Katara's parka, and Jet was shoved sideways into the snow bank. Kneeling over him, precariously bending a small snow pile above his head—almost the extent her bending went, he grabbed her by the shoulders and flipping over so he had her pinned to the ground.

And the world seemed to stop, the only proof it was still in motion being the air they breathed, the freezing air showing in small wisps from their mouths.

They were so close, and Katara could feel her heart pounding in her chest-no, she could hear it. Could Jet hear it too, how he was affecting her right now?

"Katara," Jet began slowly, his voice a low murmur. "I..."

A cough cut both of them off, and Jet immediately spun around, Katara sitting up to see Hakoda, Sokka, Prince Zuko, Daiki, Takeshi, and General Iroh-her father and brother's guard trailing behind.

Hakoda's face didn't show any emotion, Sokka appeared to be wondering whether he should punch Jet or high five him, Daiki was impassive, Takeshi wiggling his eyebrows, General Iroh a glow in his eyes, half of the guard giving Jet a small thumbs up and whispering amongst each other-but through all that, Katara was sure she was going to puke the moment she saw Zuko's face. He must be angry, this was ruining their plans. Instead, there was nothing but amusement in his eyes.

She wanted nothing more to kill him then and there. He was amused at this, the way he was torturing her, knowing she wasn't hurting just herself, but the ones she cared about. He could have his peace, and while there would be no more fighting…this would possibly destroy her family.

She could never forgive him for that.

It all flew by too fast, and standing there now, watching Zuko address the whole Southern Water Tribe with such sincerity was making her stomach flop. In a short time, it would be her doing the same thing before the Fire Nation, and she knew she wouldn't be able to do it without breaking up. How could he do that, stay so calm in front of so many people who hated him? Wanted him dead?

The crowd had been in awe at first, and there had been apprehension in some eyes, but the moment he declared the war over, Katara had never heard such a diversion among her people. Mothers, wives, children-a good amount of them were cheering, glad to hear that their fathers, sons, and husbands would be coming home. Then there were the sons who dreamed of glory, fathers who had seen their children die at the hands of the Fire Nation and wanted nothing more but revenge. It was then that she truly knew that Zuko was right. It wasn't over with just a wave of the hand. You had to work hard; you had to make sacrifices...

The moment it was announced, however, that she was the one to accompany Prince Zuko to make the same announcements to the Fire Nation, the whole Tribe was in an uproar. It was unheard of for a woman to be involved in politics like this. Her eyes met Zuko's in anxiety, and the way they bore into hers made her realize that this was it. This was the moment.

Stepping from beside her family and Jet, who had the same look in their eyes as the rest of the Tribe, she wondered how she was going to be able to say this. There was sure to be an outrage. Hakoda frowned as he watched her step forward. This wasn't a planned announcement, and as much as he trusted his daughter's judgment, it wasn't acceptable for a woman to speak before her people as a spokesperson for the tribe.

Katara glanced towards Jet, and she felt her stomach twist. His expression held no hint that he thought she was about to betray him, he had full trust in her. She opened her mouth, trying to choke out the words, yet she couldn't seem to form any sound. How she had ever thought she could announce such an absurd thing to her entire Tribe...

A hand suddenly took hers and she jumped, noticing now that Zuko stood beside her. The crowd around her gasped in shock and horror. In seconds her guard, as well as the rest of her family's, drew their weapons and Jet had taken three steps towards the pair before Katara lifted her hand up, a pleading look holding him in his place.

Taking in a deep breath, she looked up towards Zuko. It was a glance that could be interpreted as a private moment between lovers. Zuko's eyes, however, were intense and the meaning was clear. There was no backing out now.

Turning forward, she did her best to avoid meeting the eyes of others before speaking. "I will be leaving as a spokesperson for the Southern Water Tribe in our efforts to end this war, and once everything has been made official, I will not be returning. I will be staying in the Fire Nation with future Fire Lord Zuko; as his wife."

Name: Takeshi
Age: 20
Nation: Fire Nation
Bender: Yes
Hair: Black, cut short (Had been kept long until it was burnt during training)
Eyes: Brown
Height: 5'11"
Anime Lookalike: Roy Mustang from FullMetal Alchemist. Wow, someone who isn't
from Bleach, huh? But yeah, I just always loved Roy's appearance as a character
Background: An only child, Takeshi is the only one to carry out his family name and honor.
He went to school with Zuko and became very close friends with him and Daiki. It was
a surprise to most when Zuko had him promoted through the ranks so quickly.
Most thought him as a frivolous womanizer-which they usually threw out of
proportions, because he was a flirt and liked his women, but he usually didn't
take it much further than that. Those outside of Daiki and Zuko, however, didn't
know how skilled of a General he was. He was very talented at organizing his men
and coming up with skillful tactics.